There Is No Peace - The EOS Chronicles, Book One | SAMPLE

FRATRICIDE

I was off my feet in our quarter's doorway and pummeled into the living room wall in seconds. First match point for Aeryk, the weapon of surprise. Subtract two points for my avoidance technique and miscalculation of his sneak attack.

"Aren't you going to ask why?" Aeryk said as I scrambled to my feet. I assumed the first position of battle stance. My body was on autopilot, a force flowing to my extremities with each robust and effortless movement. My eyes anchored on his feet as they played an intricate dance of circular defense.

Aeryk's deceptive ease of motion and shallow breaths hid the inevitable brutality. He inched forward on the balls of his feet. I inched back, he's faster and has a longer reach.

"You've let your emotions get the best of you. Father warned you," I say.

"You believe you know Father best, but I'll show him who is the better soldier. Stupid weapons don't make you a leader. I'm the legacy, I work harder, I'm stronger, and I should command more respect from the both of you. This fight will show him you're the flawed soldier, not me," he continued to circle me.

"I'm not interested in hurting you. If you agree to stop beating me this will not go any further."

Aeryk mocked me, the tiny hope faded, and I shook while my stomach ached, but my mask couldn't portray a single crack.

"Then so let it be," I said in my best performance of confidence.

Aeryk grabbed the slim statue of an old god and threw it at me. As I ducked to avoid the projectile, he rushed in, laying a punch against my sternum. I crashed to the floor, rolling to avoid his foot as it swung at my head.

"People will laugh. The brain, limping around BioMed Division, bruised or more. Not untouchable...not perfect. You've never broken a bone in your perfect life. This is going to hurt so good." Aeryk stepped back allowed me to get up, he's a predator toying with its prey. He lunged at me, stepped back, and laughed.

"If I am the brain, then you're outmatched in this game."

I motioned over a bracelet on my wrist. From it, a circle of white light extended a holographic display. I pressed the center button. Silver cuffs shot from our mother's shrine in the corner of the room and attached to Aeryk's ankles, halting his dash toward me. The cuffs pulled his feet backwards, he face-planted to the floor. Aeryk clawed against the furniture as the cuffs lifted him by his ankles upwards. He hung feet above head in a flurry of motions. His hands tried to reach his ankle restraints. His strong core muscles engaged to raise his torso and took a swipe at them.

"That's all you got, brain? Wimpy! When I get free, I'll hurt you more!" His eyes glared but Aeryk wasn't there, only rage.

"No," I said. Pressed another button with vigor. Two wrist cuffs flew from behind Mother's shrine, attached to each bulky wrist and pulled his arms behind his back. Aeryk tried to resist, but the cuffs had been made to restrain someone stronger than him. His limbs were yanked as each wrist cuff connected to the top of the ankle cuff on the opposite side of his body, securing complete control. His legs bent at the knees in a Y, and he floated helplessly in mid-air.

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